The Definition of Courage
by EssTheDreamer
Summary: "I want you to see what real courage is, instead of the idea that courage is a wizard with a wand and curses," said Harry to Albus. Dramione with Harry explaining it to Albus. (inspired by a quote from To Kill a Mockingbird)
1. Chapter 1

Albus Potter, the copy of Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world, ran down the stairs, green eyes blazing. His younger siblings had gone with his mother to visit Grandma Molly, so he was home alone.

"Albus! Did you do your homework?" asked Harry, green eyes fixed on Albus's same orbs.

"Uh...no. Dad, I kinda need help. Headmistress McGonagall asked us to write an essay about what courage is. Its part of the house-unity thing that she started this year. I got "courage" out of the hat, so…."

Harry's smile widened. He had been the one to present that idea, although the idea was not his, but rather Hermione's. Since people were more likely to listen to Harry Potter than Hermione Granger, Harry suggested it to the Board of Governors. Of course, with Draco Malfoy, King of Purebloods on your side, you really can get anything passed.

"Hmm...come here, Albus," said Harry, leading him towards the pensieve they had. Hermione had recently created a way for pensieves to be connected to a display to show the memories, and being her best friend, he got an early release version.

Extracting his silver memories, he placed them into the pensieve, just in case his speech didn't get through to his son..

"What's your idea of courage, then?" asked Harry.

"Well, I think that having courage is being able to use your wand to defend yourself," said Albus, matter-of-factly.

"Albus-I want you to see what real courage is, not the idea that the image of courage is a wizard with a wand and curses ready. You know Scorpius Malfoy?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Albus. Scorpius might as well have been a Potter, he was around nearly all of the time since he was Albus's best friend.

"His father, Draco Malfoy, he had courage. Maybe not in the beginning, but later, he did. You know Aunt Hermione? Purebloods, especially those under Voldemort, disliked muggle-borns like her. Maybe in the beginning Draco did, too. But, later, somehow, the universe put the two most unlikely people together, the Slytherin Prince and the Gryffindor Princess, and Draco had to show real courage to defend her from his relatives, none of which save Grandmother Narcissa approved of their relationship."

"He had gone against his own father, Lucius Malfoy to protect Hermione from a dangerous curse. He suffered the Cruciatus for Hermione, even Uncle Ron and I, just because we were linked to Hermione. That's what real courage is, being able to stand up to those who oppose you through all means or saving and protecting what or who you care about no matter the harm," Harry explained, reflecting on those gloomy memories of the war.

"Not to mention, in the beginning, everyone in the Light side hated him for being a Death Eater, even though he deflected. Your Aunt Hermione and Grandmother Molly were the only ones to give him a second choice, and through all the bullying and disapproval, of which even I participated in, he stayed strong. Yet again, another example of courage."

Draco had become a Death Eater and had been given the task of killing Dumbledore. Not wanting to ruin the only safe place in the wizarding world, the only place he felt at home, Draco deflected to the Light side. Originally being hated by almost everyone in the Order of the Phoenix, he stayed strong. But, Hermione treated him like she would another Gryffindor or classmate, and Molly treated him like her own son, seeing her own son's could've easily been in the position that Draco was, if the universe took a drastic 180 turn.

"So, you see son, courage is staying strong no matter what, no matter what you face. Courage is protecting those dear to you, no matter the cost you must give, no matter you safety. Courage, is not holding a wand or shouting a curse, but being strong in the face of harm," finished a solemn expression.

Throughout all of this, Albus stayed silent, reflecting on what he learned. He knew that Scorpius's parents story was considered the wizarding Romeo and Juliet, and the Daily Prophet still featured them as first pagers, and he knew that Uncle Draco had not been perfect. But, what his father told him gave him a new perspective.

He knew that next time he saw Uncle Draco, who always treated him like his own son (especially since he was born the same day as Scorpius), he would see him in a new light, and might even hug him tighter. Most children's role models are Harry Potter, but in Albus's case, it was his Uncle Draco Malfoy and Hermione Malfoy.

(Not too far away, in the newly renovated Malfoy Manor, Draco Malfoy is teaching his son real courage through the figure that is Harry Potter.)


	2. Author's NoteStory Update

Hello, this is just to update my readers on a new fanfiction that I wrote! It is called The Mirror Of Erised, and unlike this one, it is a Tom/Ginny fanficiton/ (Don't fear, more Dramione is coming the future)

Thank you! :D


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